I turn towards her with an excited smile, and she's just watching me with her mouth open in shock. Yeah, I guess she did just witness a whole series of confusing magic. That's...not my problem right now.
I summon a new gluon-shield between us.
"Yona, I just put a special magic barrier between the two of us…I need you to come towards me and see if you can pass through it." (Mizuki)
Yona gives me a nervous expression, but she nods obediently. She moves towards the barrier, then stops right in front of it to look at me apprehensively. Huh…I guess she can sense its location then.
"Tchar'jee, this won't hurt me, will it?" (Yona)
Honestly…I hadn't considered that it was even possible for a spirit to feel pain. How does that work? Hmm…
"Uhm…I don't think so? You should either bounce off it or pass right through it. I can't imagine any reason it would damage you. That said, I'm dealing with something I don't fully understand…that's the whole reason for this test. So, I can't promise you anything." (Mizuki)
Yona nods and looks back towards the gluon-shield thoughtfully, then seems to make up her mind. She abruptly closes the distance to the barrier, and…
"Shit on a stick…" (Mizuki)
Yona passed through the gluon-shield like it wasn't even there.
I sigh deeply…this just got significantly harder. If my magic scaffolding theory is right, the scaffold is either gravitons or another exotic particle like magic. Honestly, given the state of Earth's graviton research, those might as well be the same thing. One way or another, this hypothetical scaffold particle is something that I don't know a way to test for or isolate.
Yona looks at me hopefully.
"Is this a good thing? I do not understand what you're doing, Tchar'jee." (Yona)
"Not exactly…if you'd been unable to pass through that barrier, I could help you. I might still be able to, but it will take more time and testing. Unfortunately, I don't have any other ideas right now. What else can you tell me about these Origin Shards?" (Mizuki)
Something about the Origin Shards must be introducing these scaffold particles. Either they're already present in the Origin Shard naturally, or they get created as magic accumulates. Any little bit of information could be relevant. Even if I don't fully understand what the particles are, I might be able to replicate their creation.
"Hmm…I…don't think I left anything out. All we know is that they accumulate magic over time, then we focus our will on them after they are finished, and a Greater Spirit comes into existence." (Yona)
She's right…that's not new information. She's very bad at providing details, I'm finding. Looks like it will be up to me to probe her with better questions until something relevant emerges.
"Okay…you said when they are finished accumulating magic. Did your people ever 'focus your will' on the Origin Shards before that? If so, what happened?" (Mizuki)
Yona looks off thoughtfully for a long time.
"No, I've never seen anyone do such a thing…such a practice was condemned on my home world. I believe that's because it was done by accident in the early days of our people, before I existed, and it produced an intelligent but unstable spirit." (Yona)
Why would you not mention that sooner, Yona!? The fact that it was possible for the Origin Shards to produce intelligent but unstable spirits is critical information! It suggests the scaffold particle isn't naturally present in the Origin Shards – it must get produced as enough magic accumulates.
So, I need more information about what things Yona and her people noticed as the Origin Shards 'finished' accumulating magic. That probably coincided with the creation of this scaffold particle.
"Yona, you make it sound like your people could be sure when the Origin Shards were 'finished' accumulating magic…how did you know?" (Mizuki)
"Oh, well we could sense the amount of magic inside them growing continuously, but eventually it would start to decrease. When we noticed that, we knew it was time!" (Yona)
Wait…decrease? That's…unlikely…does she mean it slowed down?
"Yona, when you say decrease, do you mean like it slowed down, to where the amount of magic inside wasn't growing as quickly?" (Mizuki)
Yona shakes her head confidently.
"No, Tchar'jee, I mean that we could sense how much magic the Origin Shard contains. At first, as time passed, we would sense more magic. Eventually, though, the magic we sensed was less as time passed, as though magic was being lost from the Origin Shard." (Yona)
That…doesn't make sense. If the Origin Shard just slowly leaked magic, even at a rate proportionate to the amount of magic, it still shouldn't peak and decrease like that. The same would be true if the magic, once inside the Origin Shard, was reacting with something else or even just decaying.
I assume that conservation of energy still applies, and there are just other forms of it like magic that I don't understand. If so, the only thing I can think of that would produce behavior like Yona is describing is...fundamental fusion of the magic particles after a critical density is reached.
Could that be it? Once the Origin Shard sufficiently concentrates enough magic inside itself, the magic particles fuse with one another to create a new particle that Yona's people can't sense?
There might be other factors in the Origin Shard that are necessary for the fusion. Also, the scaffold particle itself might be a later product of reacting the fused magic particles with something else in the Origin Shard. Still, those issues are testable if not solvable!
My thoughts are interrupted by a message from Nina.
[Mizuki, I have met up with Alto. You were right…she seems inexplicably interested in that annoying spirit.] (Nina)
I suppress laughter at Nina's assessment…I knew that Alto and I would be of the same mind about this situation.
[Fufufu…thanks, Nina. Let me know when Alto is ready, and I'll teleport her to me.] (Mizuki)
A few seconds go by.
[Okay, she is ready.] (Nina)
[Thanks, Nina!] (Mizuki)
Using my connection to Nina as a guide, I home in on Alto's signature and teleport her next to me. Her sudden appearance startles Yona.
"Ahh! Tchar'jee, do you know this woman!?" (Yona)
Alto seems completely unfazed by Yona's reaction, and immediately walks toward her excitedly.
"Hi, my name is Alto! I'm a friend of Mizuki! Are you the Greater Spirit I've been hearing about? Yona?" (Alto)
Yona looks at me in bewilderment, obviously asking for confirmation. I just smile and nod, and that seems to relax her. Yona bows at Alto respectfully.
"I am honored that you have heard of me! Nice to meet you Alto, friend of Tchar'jee!" (Yona)
Alto turns to me for the first time, wearing a puzzled expression.
"Uhm…I didn't realize that you two had grown so close, Mizuki. Even I don't have pet names for you…not ones I use to your face at least. Am I being replaced by Yona as your best friend?" (Alto)
Wait…what was that about Alto's pet names for me?
Yona's face lights up excitedly and she looks at me.
"Tchar'jee, is this true!? Am I now your best friend!?" (Yona)
Alto, very clearly aware that this is not the case, is making a pitiful attempt to stifle her laughter. Yona is just staring at me with stars in her eyes.
I sigh deeply and shake my head.
"No, Yona, Alto just has an inflated sense of her own comedic value – she's still my best friend. If you keep being this polite, though, I think you could be oneof my friends." (Mizuki)
Yona seems briefly dejected by the rebuttal, but she perks up when I mention being friends again.
"This is most humbling news, Tchar'jee! I will endeavor to do so, thank you!" (Yona)
Alto smirks and shakes her head in amusement.
"Well, my allegedly poor jokes aside…what is she calling you that for? Yona, what does that name mean?" (Alto)
Oh god…I know how this is about to play out, but I can't interject fast enough. It's like watching a car crash in slow motion.
"Oh! I believe the most appropriate alternative phrasing would be…Absurd One, or…Being of Absurdity." (Yona)
Alto glances between Yona and me with a dumbfounded expression for a moment, then begins laughing hysterically. When she eventually calms down enough to talk…
"Oh, Mizuki, that's a perfect name for you! Fufufu…you really are absurd to your core! We should change that to your official name as the leader of our little party!" (Alto)
I present my most unamused expression to Alto.
"Permission denied, Alto." (Mizuki)
Alto raises her eyebrows at me, like 'as if, dude'. I sigh deeply…she's so not going to let that nickname go.
"So, Alto, did you just come here to derail the conversation, or did you want to know all the interesting things I've learned without you? It's not too late for me to send you back and continue on my own!" (Mizuki)
Alto's eyes turn frantic as she snaps her head towards me.
"Hey, Mizuki, don't be so vindictive! I was just joking around! I'm done now, though, I swear. You can tell me everything I missed…don't leave out any details!" (Alto)
I smirk at Alto's satisfyingly compliant attitude shift, but I don't rub it in for too long. I spend the next several minutes explaining what's transpired since we parted ways earlier. When it comes to my internal thoughts about the underlying science, I convey them to Alto privately with thought messages.
She hasn't learned any real particle physics from me, and she can't ask questions privately for clarification, so I suspect there are holes in her final understanding. Still, she seems to glean the general state of things regarding Yona and the other Greater Spirits.
When I'm done, she wears a serious expression. She looks at Yona and nods sympathetically.
"Well, Yona, I'm very sorry to hear about the plight of your people…I can't imagine the resentment and despair you must have felt. For what it's worth, we're going to work together to try and solve this. Given what I've heard, and knowing Mizuki, it's only a matter of time before we succeed!" (Alto)
I feel myself tense up, and I glare at Alto. Why the hell is she making promises like that!? You never assume anything in research, you damn elf! Don't give Yona false hope!
The cat is out of the bag, though…Yona's face lights up excitedly.
"Very well, I will entrust this matter to you, Tchar'jee…the Greater Spirits will be forever indebted if you succeed!" (Yona)
I groan internally…great, now Alto's done it. I smile at Yona and nod, unsure how else to respond. However, I notice that it's getting late.
"Alto, I think we need to go now…I have that other obligation tonight. I promise, we'll research this further as soon as we can. Yona, it's time for us to take our leave, but I'll return eventually…you have my word. I shouldn't have any trouble finding you if we learn something important." (Mizuki)
Yona just nods politely.
"I understand, Tchar'jee, I look forward to your return. Please give Goddess Nedonera my best wishes!" (Yona)
Alto gives me a confused expression after Yona's use of the word 'goddess'.
[Don't even ask…] (Mizuki)
Alto smirks at my exhaustion-rich thought message.
This day has been one emotional curveball after another, and I'm not even done yet. Worse still, when I consider the next few days…
My troubles are only going to increase from here on.